diff --git a/pages/index.tsx b/pages/index.tsx
index b01a345..f63c2b2 100644
--- a/pages/index.tsx
+++ b/pages/index.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useEffect } from 'react'
 import Seo from '@/components/Seo'
 import { SITE_URL } from '@/lib/site'
+import dynamic from 'next/dynamic'
 import Nav from '@/components/Nav'
 import Hero from '@/components/Hero'
 import Capabilities from '@/components/Capabilities'
@@ -11,6 +12,9 @@ import OpenSource from '@/components/OpenSource'
 import Partners from '@/components/Partners'
 import Footer from '@/components/Footer'
 
+// Client-only: its visibility depends on localStorage and the current date.
+const AnnouncementBar = dynamic(() => import('@/components/AnnouncementBar'), { ssr: false })
+
 export default function Home() {
   // Set up scroll-reveal observer (mirrors the original HTML script)
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -35,6 +39,7 @@ export default function Home() {
   return (
     <>
       <Seo url={SITE_URL} />
+      <AnnouncementBar />
       <Nav hero />
       <Hero />
       <hr className="divider" />
diff --git a/pages/inference-day.tsx b/pages/inference-day.tsx
index f48ddc4..6974a5d 100644
--- a/pages/inference-day.tsx
+++ b/pages/inference-day.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import Seo from '@/components/Seo'
 import Footer from '@/components/Footer'
+import Nav from '@/components/Nav'
 import { SITE_URL } from '@/lib/site'
-import EventNav from '@/components/inference-day/EventNav'
+import EventSubNav from '@/components/inference-day/EventSubNav'
 import EventHero from '@/components/inference-day/EventHero'
 import RegisterSection from '@/components/inference-day/RegisterSection'
 import Agenda from '@/components/inference-day/Agenda'
@@ -54,7 +55,8 @@ export default function InferenceDay() {
       </Seo>
 
       <div className="id-page">
-        <EventNav />
+        <Nav />
+        <EventSubNav />
         <main>
           <EventHero />
           <RegisterSection />
diff --git a/src/components/AnnouncementBar.tsx b/src/components/AnnouncementBar.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..29800c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/AnnouncementBar.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import Link from 'next/link'
+
+// Homepage announcement bar for the Inference Day event. Links to the event
+// landing page, can be dismissed (remembered per browser), and hides itself once
+// the event date has passed so it never needs to be removed by hand.
+//
+// Rendered client-only (next/dynamic ssr:false in the homepage), so the initial
+// visibility is read straight from localStorage/the clock in the useState
+// initializer — no effect, and no server/client markup to mismatch.
+const EVENT_URL = '/inference-day'
+const HIDE_AFTER = new Date('2026-11-06T00:00:00Z') // day after the event
+const DISMISS_KEY = 'mp-inference-day-bar'
+
+function shouldShow(): boolean {
+  if (Date.now() >= HIDE_AFTER.getTime()) return false
+  try {
+    return localStorage.getItem(DISMISS_KEY) !== 'dismissed'
+  } catch {
+    // private mode / blocked storage — treat as not dismissed
+    return true
+  }
+}
+
+export default function AnnouncementBar() {
+  const [show, setShow] = useState(shouldShow)
+
+  function dismiss() {
+    setShow(false)
+    try {
+      localStorage.setItem(DISMISS_KEY, 'dismissed')
+    } catch {
+      // storage unavailable — nothing to persist
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (!show) return null
+
+  return (
+    <aside className="announce" aria-label="Inference Day announcement">
+      <Link href={EVENT_URL} className="announce-link">
+        <span className="announce-wordmark">Inference Day</span>
+        <span className="announce-sep" aria-hidden="true" />
+        <span className="announce-tag">Nov 5 · Virtual · Free</span>
+        <span className="announce-copy">
+          Hear where AI infrastructure is going from the engineers building it.
+        </span>
+        <span className="announce-cta">Register →</span>
+      </Link>
+      <button className="announce-close" onClick={dismiss} aria-label="Dismiss announcement">
+        <svg width="14" height="14" viewBox="0 0 14 14" aria-hidden="true">
+          <path d="M1 1l12 12M13 1L1 13" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.6" strokeLinecap="round" />
+        </svg>
+      </button>
+    </aside>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/components/Nav.tsx b/src/components/Nav.tsx
index e34ea96..2b5bf3d 100644
--- a/src/components/Nav.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Nav.tsx
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ export default function Nav({ hero = false }: NavProps) {
           <li><Link href="/blog">Blog</Link></li>
           <li><Link href="/manifesto">Manifesto</Link></li>
           <li><a href={SLACK_URL} target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Slack</a></li>
+          <li><Link href="/inference-day" className="nav-event">Inference Day</Link></li>
           <li><a href={GITHUB_URL} target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-label="GitHub"><GithubIcon /></a></li>
           <li><a href={GITHUB_URL} className="nav-cta-ghost" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">★ Star the Project</a></li>
           <li><a href="https://docs.modelplane.ai/getting-started/" className="nav-cta">Get started →</a></li>
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ export default function Nav({ hero = false }: NavProps) {
           <Link href="/blog" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>Blog</Link>
           <Link href="/manifesto" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>Manifesto</Link>
           <a href={SLACK_URL} target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>Slack</a>
+          <Link href="/inference-day" className="nav-event" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>Inference Day</Link>
           <a href={GITHUB_URL} target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-label="GitHub" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}><GithubIcon /></a>
           <a href={GITHUB_URL} className="nav-cta-mobile" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>★ Star the Project</a>
           <a href="https://docs.modelplane.ai/getting-started/" className="nav-cta-mobile" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>Get started →</a>
diff --git a/src/components/inference-day/EventHero.tsx b/src/components/inference-day/EventHero.tsx
index 9208047..2f205f1 100644
--- a/src/components/inference-day/EventHero.tsx
+++ b/src/components/inference-day/EventHero.tsx
@@ -23,14 +23,14 @@ export default function EventHero() {
           </p>
 
           <EventActions />
+
+          <img
+            src="/inference-day/lockup.png"
+            alt="Hosted by Modelplane · Sponsored by Upbound"
+            className="id-hero-lockup"
+          />
         </div>
       </div>
-
-      <img
-        src="/inference-day/lockup.png"
-        alt="Hosted by Modelplane · Sponsored by Upbound"
-        className="id-hero-lockup"
-      />
     </section>
   )
 }
diff --git a/src/components/inference-day/EventNav.tsx b/src/components/inference-day/EventNav.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index 921edc3..0000000
--- a/src/components/inference-day/EventNav.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,61 +0,0 @@
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
-
-// Event-specific top bar for /inference-day. Separate from the site Nav so the
-// links are the on-page anchors rather than the marketing nav. Sticky on a
-// midnight background; collapses to a toggle menu on small screens.
-const DOCS_URL = 'https://docs.modelplane.ai'
-
-const LINKS = [
-  { label: 'Register', href: '#register' },
-  { label: 'Agenda', href: '#agenda' },
-  { label: 'Speakers', href: '#speakers' },
-  { label: 'Docs', href: DOCS_URL },
-]
-
-export default function EventNav() {
-  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false)
-
-  // Close the mobile menu when the hash changes (an anchor link was followed).
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const close = () => setOpen(false)
-    window.addEventListener('hashchange', close)
-    return () => window.removeEventListener('hashchange', close)
-  }, [])
-
-  return (
-    <nav className="id-nav" aria-label="Inference Day">
-      <div className="id-wrap id-nav-inner">
-        <a href="#top" className="id-nav-logo" aria-label="Modelplane">
-          <img src="/logo-inverted.svg" alt="Modelplane" />
-        </a>
-
-        <ul className="id-nav-links">
-          {LINKS.map((l) => (
-            <li key={l.href}>
-              <a href={l.href}>{l.label}</a>
-            </li>
-          ))}
-          <li>
-            <a href="#register" className="btn-primary">Register →</a>
-          </li>
-        </ul>
-
-        <button
-          className="id-nav-toggle"
-          onClick={() => setOpen((v) => !v)}
-          aria-label="Toggle menu"
-          aria-expanded={open}
-        >
-          <span /><span /><span />
-        </button>
-      </div>
-
-      <div className={`id-nav-mobile${open ? ' open' : ''}`}>
-        {LINKS.map((l) => (
-          <a key={l.href} href={l.href} onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>{l.label}</a>
-        ))}
-        <a href="#register" className="btn-primary id-btn-block" onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>Register →</a>
-      </div>
-    </nav>
-  )
-}
diff --git a/src/components/inference-day/EventSubNav.tsx b/src/components/inference-day/EventSubNav.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b86b842
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/inference-day/EventSubNav.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// Event sub-nav for the Inference Day landing page. Sits directly below the main
+// site <Nav /> and sticks under it, carrying only the on-page jump links plus a
+// Register CTA. The "Inference Day" label marks which section of the site you're
+// in, since the main nav shows the Modelplane logo. All links are in-page anchors,
+// so they stay plain <a> (next/link is for route navigation).
+export default function EventSubNav() {
+  return (
+    <nav className="id-subnav" aria-label="Inference Day sections">
+      <div className="id-wrap id-subnav-inner">
+        <a href="#top" className="id-subnav-label">Inference Day</a>
+        <div className="id-subnav-links">
+          <a href="#register">Register</a>
+          <a href="#agenda">Agenda</a>
+          <a href="#speakers">Speakers</a>
+        </div>
+        <a href="#register" className="btn-primary id-subnav-cta">Register →</a>
+      </div>
+    </nav>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/styles/globals.css b/src/styles/globals.css
index a3337d5..7c6d27e 100644
--- a/src/styles/globals.css
+++ b/src/styles/globals.css
@@ -1798,3 +1798,74 @@ a.post-tag:hover { border-color: var(--border-hi); color: var(--text); }
 @media (max-width: 560px) {
   .post-related .post-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; }
 }
+
+/* ── ANNOUNCEMENT BAR (Inference Day, homepage) ── */
+.announce {
+  position: relative;
+  z-index: 1;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: stretch;
+  background:
+    radial-gradient(460px 160px at 14% 50%, rgba(0, 220, 232, 0.16), transparent 72%),
+    #001C2E;
+  border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08);
+}
+.announce-link {
+  flex: 1;
+  min-height: 48px;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  gap: 18px;
+  padding: 9px 56px 9px 24px;
+  text-decoration: none;
+  color: #fff;
+}
+.announce-wordmark {
+  font-family: var(--display);
+  font-weight: 600;
+  font-size: 18px;
+  letter-spacing: -0.01em;
+  background: linear-gradient(90deg, #9A5EFC, #00DCE8);
+  -webkit-background-clip: text;
+  background-clip: text;
+  -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
+  color: transparent;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+}
+.announce-sep { width: 1px; height: 16px; background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.18); flex: none; }
+.announce-tag {
+  font-size: 12px; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: 0.10em; text-transform: uppercase;
+  color: var(--cyan); white-space: nowrap;
+}
+.announce-copy { font-size: 14px; color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.86); }
+.announce-cta {
+  display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 6px;
+  background: var(--purple); color: #fff; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 600;
+  padding: 7px 16px; border-radius: 999px; white-space: nowrap;
+  transition: background 0.2s;
+}
+.announce-link:hover .announce-cta { background: linear-gradient(90deg, #9A5EFC, #00DCE8); }
+.announce-close {
+  position: absolute; right: 12px; top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%);
+  display: inline-flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;
+  width: 32px; height: 32px;
+  background: none; border: 0; color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.55);
+  cursor: pointer; border-radius: 8px; transition: color 0.2s, background 0.2s;
+}
+.announce-close:hover { color: #fff; background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08); }
+
+@media (max-width: 760px) {
+  .announce-copy, .announce-sep { display: none; }
+  .announce-link { gap: 12px; justify-content: space-between; padding: 8px 48px 8px 16px; }
+}
+@media (max-width: 420px) {
+  .announce-tag { display: none; }
+}
+
+/* Inference Day event link in the main nav — a subtle cyan accent so the
+   time-sensitive event stands out next to the standard nav items. */
+.nav-links .nav-event,
+.nav-dropdown .nav-event { color: var(--cyan); }
+.nav-links .nav-event:hover,
+.nav-dropdown .nav-event:hover { color: var(--purple-hi); }
diff --git a/src/styles/inference-day.css b/src/styles/inference-day.css
index 6d1b1df..b3698e1 100644
--- a/src/styles/inference-day.css
+++ b/src/styles/inference-day.css
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ body:has(.id-page) { background: #001C2E; }
   padding-inline: var(--id-gutter);
 }
 
-.id-page section { scroll-margin-top: 84px; } /* clear the sticky nav on anchor jumps */
+.id-page section { scroll-margin-top: 128px; } /* clear the main nav + event sub-nav on anchor jumps */
 
 /* ── Shared type ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 .id-wordmark {
@@ -94,85 +94,90 @@ body:has(.id-page) { background: #001C2E; }
   height: 48px;
 }
 
-/* ── 3.1 Nav ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
-.id-nav {
+/* ── Event sub-nav ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+   Sits directly below the main site <Nav /> and sticks under it, carrying the
+   on-page jump links. The main nav is sticky at top:0 (z 100); this pins just
+   below it. .id-subnav is a <nav>, so it overrides the global nav rules. */
+.id-subnav {
   position: sticky;
-  top: 0;
-  z-index: 100;
-  background: rgba(0, 28, 46, .82);
+  top: 65px;
+  z-index: 90;
+  background: rgba(3, 57, 74, .85);
   backdrop-filter: blur(16px);
   -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(16px);
   border-bottom: 1px solid var(--id-line);
 }
-.id-nav-inner {
+.id-subnav-inner {
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
-  justify-content: space-between;
   gap: 24px;
-  padding-block: 16px;
+  min-height: 44px;
+  padding-block: 8px;
 }
-.id-nav-logo { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; }
-.id-nav-logo img { height: 26px; width: auto; display: block; }
-.id-nav-links {
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 28px;
-  margin: 0;
-  padding: 0;
-  list-style: none;
+.id-subnav-label {
+  font-family: var(--font-display);
+  font-weight: 500;
+  font-size: 15px;
+  letter-spacing: -0.01em;
+  color: #fff;
+  text-decoration: none;
+  white-space: nowrap;
 }
-.id-nav-links a {
+.id-subnav-links { display: flex; gap: 22px; }
+.id-subnav-links a {
   font: 400 14px/1 var(--font-body);
   color: var(--id-white-72);
   text-decoration: none;
   transition: color .18s;
 }
-.id-nav-links a:hover { color: #fff; }
-.id-nav-links .btn-primary { color: #fff; }
-.id-nav-toggle {
-  display: none;
-  background: none;
-  border: 0;
-  padding: 8px;
-  cursor: pointer;
+.id-subnav-links a:hover { color: #fff; }
+.id-page .id-subnav-cta {
+  margin-left: auto;
+  font-size: 13px;
+  padding: 8px 18px;
 }
-.id-nav-toggle span {
-  display: block;
-  width: 22px;
-  height: 2px;
-  margin: 4px 0;
-  background: #fff;
-  transition: transform .2s, opacity .2s;
+@media (max-width: 640px) {
+  .id-subnav-label { display: none; }
+  .id-page .id-subnav-cta { display: none; }
+  .id-subnav-inner { gap: 0; }
+  .id-subnav-links { width: 100%; justify-content: space-around; gap: 12px; }
 }
-.id-nav-mobile { display: none; }
 
 /* ── 3.2 Hero ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 .id-hero {
   position: relative;
   overflow: hidden;
   background: var(--id-hero);
-  padding-block: clamp(56px, 7vw, 96px) clamp(72px, 8vw, 120px);
-}
+  /* Compact, roomy hero like the design (≈800px at 1440): the copy sits in the
+     upper-left and the min-height leaves open space below/right for the wave. */
+  min-height: clamp(560px, 52vw, 780px);
+  padding-block: clamp(48px, 5vw, 80px) clamp(64px, 7vw, 104px);
+}
+/* The contrail is full-bleed behind the content, as the design composes it:
+   anchored right and bled above the top (y -133 at 1440), sweeping from the
+   upper-right down to the lower-left. The copy sits compact in the upper-left
+   (z 1), so the wave's dense sweep falls in the open right and lower area. */
 .id-hero-art {
   position: absolute;
-  top: -133px;
+  top: -9.2vw;
   right: 0;
-  width: min(1200px, 115%);
-  max-width: none;
+  width: 108.5vw;
+  min-width: 1040px;
   height: auto;
   pointer-events: none;
   z-index: 0;
 }
-.id-hero-inner { position: relative; z-index: 1; max-width: 760px; }
+.id-hero-inner { position: relative; z-index: 1; max-width: none; }
 .id-hero h1 {
-  font-size: clamp(56px, 9.7vw, 140px);
+  font-size: clamp(44px, 7.2vw, 108px);
+  white-space: nowrap;
   margin: 0;
 }
 .id-hero-intro {
-  font: 400 clamp(18px, 1.7vw, 24px)/1.35 var(--font-body);
+  font: 400 clamp(17px, 1.5vw, 22px)/1.4 var(--font-body);
   color: #fff;
-  margin: 22px 0 0;
-  max-width: 620px;
+  margin: 20px 0 0;
+  max-width: 900px;
 }
 .id-hero-intro span { display: block; }
 .id-date {
@@ -180,23 +185,23 @@ body:has(.id-page) { background: #001C2E; }
   letter-spacing: .10em;
   text-transform: uppercase;
   color: var(--id-cyan);
-  margin: 26px 0 0;
+  margin: 22px 0 0;
 }
 .id-hero-actions {
   display: flex;
   flex-wrap: wrap;
   gap: 16px;
-  margin-top: 34px;
+  margin-top: 28px;
 }
+/* "Hosted by / Sponsored by" lockup: a normal flow element left-aligned under
+   the buttons, so it sits on clean dark below the copy rather than centred over
+   the wave pattern (where it got lost). Places predictably on every breakpoint. */
 .id-hero-lockup {
-  position: absolute;
-  right: var(--id-gutter);
-  bottom: 28px;
-  width: 612px;
-  max-width: 48%;
+  display: block;
+  width: 440px;
+  max-width: 100%;
   height: auto;
-  z-index: 1;
-  pointer-events: none;
+  margin: 44px 0 0;
 }
 
 /* ── 3.3 About + Register ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
@@ -459,8 +464,10 @@ body:has(.id-page) { background: #001C2E; }
 .id-cta-art {
   position: absolute;
   right: 0;
-  bottom: -40px;
-  width: min(1100px, 110%);
+  top: 50%;
+  transform: translateY(-50%);
+  width: 108.5vw;
+  min-width: 1040px;
   height: auto;
   opacity: .85;
   pointer-events: none;
@@ -502,28 +509,6 @@ body:has(.id-page) { background: #001C2E; }
   .id-hero-inner { max-width: none; }
 }
 @media (max-width: 860px) {
-  .id-nav-links { display: none; }
-  .id-nav-toggle { display: block; }
-  .id-nav-mobile.open {
-    display: flex;
-    flex-direction: column;
-    gap: 4px;
-    padding: 8px var(--id-gutter) 20px;
-    border-top: 1px solid var(--id-line);
-  }
-  .id-nav-mobile a {
-    font: 400 16px/1 var(--font-body);
-    color: #fff;
-    text-decoration: none;
-    padding: 12px 0;
-  }
-  .id-hero-lockup {
-    position: static;
-    display: block;
-    width: 70%;
-    max-width: 420px;
-    margin: 40px 0 0;
-  }
   .id-featured--large,
   .id-featured--small { flex-basis: 100%; }
 }
@@ -544,3 +529,15 @@ body:has(.id-page) { background: #001C2E; }
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
   .id-page * { animation: none !important; transition: none !important; }
 }
+
+/* On phones/small tablets the hero and CTA copy is full-width, so the full-bleed
+   wave can only sit behind the text and clutter it. Hide the decorative art at
+   these sizes and keep the clean solid-dark hero/CTA instead. */
+@media (max-width: 768px) {
+  /* Phones/small tablets: hide the decorative wave (no room beside full-width
+     copy), let the wordmark wrap, and drop the desktop min-height. */
+  .id-hero-art,
+  .id-cta-art { display: none; }
+  .id-hero { min-height: 0; }
+  .id-hero h1 { white-space: normal; }
+}